Ratlway signaling mechanism



0;. R. BEALL. RAILWAY SIGNALING "MECHANISM. APPLICATION-FILED ssrnz. ism;

Patnted Dec. 27, 1921.

' INVENTOR: a, [Z .xiwvaa 2 ATTORNEY finalise/tam itmay concern lowing is a specification.

UNITED] TAKES PATENT OFFICE.

3. Banner swissvm rsnnsiz vm g ASSIGNOR r0 was omen. swmon & swarm. COMPANY, or SWISSVADE, PENNSYLVANIA, a consonarrolt or mmuvm amwn stemmed mammal.

Be it known thatl, CHARLES R. Emmi, a citinen of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in? the county of. Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania; have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Railway Signaling Mechanism, of which the; fol- My invention relates to railway signaling mechanisms, and particularly to mechan sms for the operation and control ot s1gmalt cit the semaphore type. In signals oi this character, the semaphore is: usually "biasedltojthe stop pssition y gravity is moved to its other indicating position or potitionsfiby ainotor, an electrically contrhlled holding device being provi ed to hold the semaphore: in its operated position a on positions and sometimes uto clutch the semaphore tothe motor. y a p WVhen the holding device is of the tractiw e magnet type; it requires more current to move thevarmature to the closed position than: to keep it in such position, and, consequently, it is desirable from the point of view of power cirrrent supplied to the holding magnet atter the holding armature controlled thereby (has been closed. One featureot' my invenis a view, part tion isthe provision of a novel means for accomplishing this result.

I will describe two terms signaling mechanisms embodying my invention, and y t a 1 willathcnpolnt out the novel features thereoii in claims. I

In the accompalaying drawmgs, lflgure l iagrammatic and partly Y in elevation, showing one form of signal [horizontal or stop posltion, together with mechanism embodying my invention. Fig.

2 is a view showing a modification of the,

mechanism shown in Fig. 1. and also embodying nry lnvention.

bimilar reference characters refer to $11111- lar partsineachi of the views.

Referring first to Flg. 1, the signal mech anism comprises a semaphore S biased to the a motor M for moving the semaphore to an inclined or caution position in which it is 4h? fromwthe stop position, and to a vertical or" roceed positionin which the semaphore is 0 from the stop position. The motor Mwis operatively connected with the semafphoris' through the medium of suitablemechconsumption to reduce the.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d 7 2 Application and September 2, 192i. S'eria1497,827.

anisml indicated diagrammatically the dash hnes58 and 58, and which mechanism lncludes a ratchet wheel 10. Cooperating with this ratchet wheel is a pawl l3, which, when j held 1n engagement with the ratchet wheel, operates to hold the semaphores comprising a motor coil 16 and a main coil 1.0, which magnet controls the pawl 13 through: 1 the medium of an armature 14. ()peratlvely connected with the pawl 1 3 is a contact 47 M'lllCll is closed when the pawl is out of engagement with the ratchet wheel and is opened when the pawl is moved into operative position.

The reference character a c rcuit controller which is operated in accordance with the movements ofthe sema- .phore S and which, as here shown, is operatiyely connected with such semaphore through the medium of suitable mechanism indicated diagrammatically by dash lines This circuit controller comprises two contactsegments 43 and 44:, and four pairs of contact fingers cooperating therewith. The: arcs of the circuit controller areso arranged that contact 20-20 is closed: from the 0' to 43 degree position of the semaphore; contact 37--87 closes at the 40 de gree position and opens at the 88 degreeposit-ion, contact z29--29 is closed fromthe 0 to degree position of the semaphore, and contact l1--i1 closes at the 50 degree position and remains closed at the 90 degree position of the semaphore.

C designates a The motor M and the holding magnet K are supplied with energy by currents of differe'nt voltages, the source being here shown a as batteries B" and B. The supply of current from these batteries to the motor and holding magnet is governed by'two relays H and" D, which relays may be controlled in any suitable manner and by any suitable means, having nothing to do with my present invention.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: When the relays H and D areboth open, as shown in the drawing, the semaphore Sis in the horizontal or stop 'position andthe other parts of the apparatus are in the positions in which they are illustrated. When it is desired to move the semaphore S to the caution position, relay H is closed, whereupon current flows from the upper terminal of battery B, through wire 17, contact 18 of relay H, wires 33 and 19, contact 20-20, wires 21 and 22, armature 11 of motor M, field winding 12 of this motor, wire 23, motor coil 16 of magnet K, and wire 24 to the lower terminal of battery B. Current also flows from wire 21, through wire 46, contact 47, wire 48 and snubbing resistance 45 to wire 23, but the si 1pply of ,current to motor coil 16 causes by moving pawl 13 into its operative posi tion and opening the contact 47, so that the m gnet Kto attract the armature 14,.theresnubbing resistance 45 is immediately cut out of the motor circuit. Motor M then operates tomove the semaphore S toward the caution position. When the semaphore S reaches the 43. position, motor M becomes denergized due to the opening of contact 2020 but the movement of the semaphore S. continues about two degrees, so that the semaphore comes to rest in the 45 or cautio'n. position. The, closing of relay H also closes a circuit whichpasses from the lower terminal ofbattery B through w1re'25, con- 7 tact 26 of relay H, wires 27 and 28, contact 29-29, wires 30 and 31, main coil 150i holding magnet K, and wires '32 and 24 to theupper terminal of battery B. This circuit remains closed after the semaphore S reaches the caution position, so thatthe semaphoreis held inthis-position due to the supply of currenttowinding 15 from the low voltage battery B h.

It now it is desired to move the semaphore S to the proceed position, relay D is closed, thereby closing-a circuit which passes from the'upper terminal of battery B, through wire 17, contact-18 of relay H,'wires 33 and 34, contact 35 ofrelay D, wire 36, contact 37-37, which is then closed, wires 21 and 22,armature '11 and field winding 12 of motor M, wire :23, motor winding 16 and wire 24' to'the lower terminal of battery B. Motor M then operates to move the semaphore S toward the proceed position. Contact 29-29 opens at the 55 position of the semaphore, but contact 4l41 has in the meantime become closed at the 50 position of the semaphore, so that the main coil 15 of magnet continues to be energized through a circuit which passes from the lower terminal of battery B,:through wire 25, contact 26 of relay H, wires27-and 38, contact 39 of relay D, wire .40, contact 41-41% wires 42 and 31, winding 15 of magnet K, and wires 32 and 24 to the upper terminal of battery Be, Contact 37-37 opens at the 88 position of the semaphore, thereby deenergizing motor M, but'the drift of the semaphore is suflicient to carry it to the full proceed position, where it is held by the main coil 15 of magnet K because contact 41-41 remains closed in this position.

It now it is desired to return the semaphore from the proceed position to the can tion. position. relay D is permitted to open but relay H is kept closed. The opening of relay D opens hoth the motor operating circuit and the holding circuit for magnet coil 15, so that the semaphore S returns toward the caution position. (living to the fact that magnet K is entirely dei nergized, contact 47 is now closed. thereby closing a circuit for motor M through the snubbing resistance 45. The motor M then acts as a generator and so serves as a dynamic brake to retard the movement oi. the semaphore S. lVhen the 43 position of the semaphore is reached the motor hi and magnet coil 16 become energized, due to the closing of contact 2020, so that the motor M will return the semaphore to the 45 or caution position, at which point it will be held because of the fact that coil 15 of magnet K is now energized. In this connection it should be noted that the supply of current from battery B to coil 15 is not su'liicient to move the pawl 13 to its operative or holding position, but is sufiicient to hold this pawl in such position alter it has been moved thereto by the supply or current to the motor coil 16.

hen the semaphore S is to return to its stop posi ion, relay H is permitted to open. thereby de nergizing magnet K and pre venting euergization of motor M, so that the semaphore as well as all other parts of the apparatus return to their initial positions wherein they are shown in the drawing.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown therein is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that the supply oi. current from batteries B and B is controlled by a polarized relay P, and the snubhing resistance 45 is governed l j an additional circuit controller segment 49 which cooperates with contact fingers rim-5o. The contact 50-50 is arranged to be closed from the 35 to 45 position or" the semaphore but is open at all other times.

When the relay P is open, as shown in the drawing, all oi the signal circuits are open, so that the semaphore S is in. the stop position. lVhen the semaphore is to be moved to the caution position relay P is energized in such direction thatits polarized contacts and 55 remain open, whereupon motor operating current liows from the upper terminal of battery 13, through wire 17. neutral contact 52 of relay P, wires 33 and 19, contact 20-20, wires 21 and 22, armature l1 and field winding 12 of motor M, wire 23, motor coil 16 of magnet K, and wires 24 and 24 to the lower terminal of tweene n. 'The ener eatiamemayrflia t direction epecifi' eleoiclleeee a towing circuitwhich passes from the lower battery B, through wire 2a, upper ane oil contact of rela 1, wires amt ea; content ewes; wire or, main coil at magnet It, and wires eieg e t am ne" to upper-rterminal oili tenet 'lll Semaphore gized in such as to cause its: polar contacts 5 3 and fidtoelose wheren om-mew operating circuit is closed, whten passes firom f the upper terminal of battery Bu through wire 17, contact 52 oi? relay P, wires 3e and 34; contact teotrelayzl wire 36', contact 3 7-37, wines 21 a1nd armature lland field windimg12,ot=motor M, Wire 1 23, coil 16" of magnetKi, and wtresflt and 24. to battery B". 1 At newholding circuit is.

also closed; passing from; the levees terminal:

ofitattery B througlt 25, upper point of contact 54, wires 27 and38, contact battery" B wirteo, contact ildlfi wires th 3'1, magnetcoil 15 amdwineslifl, 24 and24' to Semaphore S is their moved; to the proceed position? at which poi-lit the i j motor 1 M is deenergizedliduef to the opening of contasctyii'ttiw i When the semaphore Si-is to netumt trom the prorated to tha citation position tlte enem gitit-tion or Ma ra-tween,the tp a ing molest-traced; holding circuit at content 5o otrelay PA When the eemaphoreremchea the positioi'r the snuhbing resistance 45 is shunted by the webbing contact te sesd that motor M is placed on short circuit through this contact, and the tendency of this: moton to retard the movement: of the:

semaphoreat this point by generator action is stronger than with the arrangement shownin; Fig. 1; Thisencossiveretardationover comes the i tendency of the semaphore to drift below the 43 position atwhich pointcum rent is supplied to the motor through com tart EEO-#20, and such current then returns the semaphone to themed position where it is heldby current fnrnishedto magnet coil through the 45 holding contact 29 -29 In Eigafl it will be noted thatthecontact 54 of thepolarizedll is provided with a back point. The function of this is to place the main coil 15 of holding magnet K on short circuit during reversal of relay P while semaphore S is in the caution position; The short circuit path through coil 15 at such time will be apparent from the drawing, and as is well understood, it serves to i 1 increase the retardation of the holding mag net, which, must be slow-releasing in character in order to avoid release of the semaphore during reversal of relay P.

7 that various 0 It will he observed that in: both of the illustrated? mscemy' inveuticn the p wer as operatingthe semaphore is-supplied by 1B,, the-power for holding "the semaphore in theta-anon and proceed-1 ositime is supplied by a; separate B The use of this separate holding battery has several advantages: It perini-ts the use of a lower voltage on the hcldin megnee for holding the semaphore in its opemated posi time, and: this lower voltage makes itpessihle to wind the coil 15 with wire ofcom paraiti vely' large cross-section, thus reducing thecost of this" coil and also reducing the susceptibility ofthe coil to damage by lightnin r discharge; Furthermore, since the coil iso. large w'ircandhas a comparatively few number of turns, the liability of having mag net trouble due to eneaacurrentsever high resistance grounds or crosses is minimized.

'1 he use of a separateahattery for holdingpurpoees allows a comparatively -uniform discharge from" all cellsof the battery and insures a cemparatively uniform voltage oncoil 15 of the h olding magnet throughout the life of the battery, Whentae samebattcry isused for operatingthesemaphore and for supplying power to the holding magnet, the voltage on the holding magnet is very materially reduced during operation of the semaphore because of the reduction in the voltage at the termina lsof the battery due to the comparatively hemvy current talten by the rn'otor. 1 i i On accountof the fact that the discharge from the low voltagebattery B is compare tively small and is of a constant value, it ispos sible in the practice of: my invention to; usethe' battery to a pointnearerwcomplete exhaustion than is: possiblewhen a single Although I have herein shown and de- 1 scribed only two forms 0t signal mechanisms embodyingmi: invention,1t is understood anges and modifications may be made thereinwithin the sco e ofithc ap pended claims Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Railway signaling mechanism comprising a semaphore, a motor for operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main coil, two sources of current of different voltages, and means includa ing circuit controllers operated in accordance wlth the movements of said semaphore for simultaneously establishing a circuit including the high-voltage source and said motor-and said motor coil, and a circuit including the low-voltage source andsaid main holding coil, and for subsequently interrupting the first of said circuits.

- v 2. Railway signaling mechanism compris ms a emep e,

a motor for operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main coil, two sources of currentof different voltages, and means including circuit controllers operated in accordance with the movements of said semaphore for energizing said motor and said motor coil from the high voltage source and said main coil from the low-voltage source while the motor is;m oving the semaphore, and for deenergizing said motor and said motor coil substantially ailway signaling mechanism comprising a semaphore, a motor for operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main coil, two sources of current of diflerent voltages, and means including circuit (controllers operated in accordance-with the movements of said semaphore for energizing said motor and said motor coil from the high-voltage source while the motor is operatingthe semaphore, and forenergizingsaid maincoil from the low-voltage source before the motoris deenergizediand after the operation of the semaghore by the motor ceases.

' 4. ailwaysignaling mechanismcomprising a semaphore, a motor for operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil-anda main coil, two sources of current of different voltages, means for energizing said'motor and" said motor coil from the high-voltage source while the=motor is operating the semaphore and sfor deenergizing I said parts just before thesemaphore reaches the operated position, and means for energizing saidmain coil from said low-voltage source before the motor is deenergized and for continuing the energization of thermain coil after the semaphore reaches the oper- V ated position.

5. Railway signaling mechanism comprising-a semaphore, a motorfor operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main coil, two-sources of current of different voltages, an operating circuit ineludingksaid motor, motor coil'and highvoltage source, a holding circuit including said main holding magnet coil and the lowvoltage source, means for closing said operating circuit when the motor is to drive the semaphore and for opening said circuit before the semaphore reaches the operated position, and means for closing said holding circuit before the operating circuit is opened and for keeping the holding circuit closed until after the semaphore reaches its operated position.

6. Railway signaling mechanism comprising a semaphore, a motor for operating said semaphore, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main coil, two sources of current of different voltages, two circuit controllers operated in accordance with movements of said semaphore, the first controller being closed during movement of the semaphore to nearly its operated position, and the sec- 0nd controller being closed before the lirst opens and remaining closed in the operated position of the semaphore; a circuit including the high-voltage source, the motor, the motor coil and the, first circuit controller; and a second circuit including the low-muage source, the main coil of said holding magnet and the second circuit controller.

7 Railway signaling mechanism comprising a semaphore biased to stop position, a motor for moving it to caution and proceed positions, a holding magnet having a motor coil and a main 0011, two sources of current of different voltages, means for energizing said motor and said motor coil from the high-voltage source while the motor is operating the semaphore to the caution position and for denergizing said parts just before the caution position is reached, means for energizing said main coil from the low-voltage source before the motor circuit is opened and after the semaphore reaches the caution position, means for again energizing the motor and the motor coil from the highvoltagesource While the motor is operating the-semaphore from caution position to proceed position and for deenergizing said parts just before proceed position is reached, and means for again energizing said main coil from the low-voltage source before the motor circuit is opened and after the semaphore reaches the proceed position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' CHARLES R. BEALL. 

